A09950:672
The Breastplate of Faith and Love
The breast-plate of faith and love. A treatise, wherein the ground and exercise of faith and love, as they are set upon Christ their object, and as they are expressed in good works, is explained. / Delivered in 18 sermons upon three several texts, by the late faithful and worthy minister of Jesus Christ, John Preston, Dr. in Divinity, chaplain in ordinary to his Majesty, Master of Emmanuel College in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolns Inn.The breast-plate of faith and love. A treatise, wherein the ground and exercise of faith and love, as they are set upon Christ their object, and as they are expressed in good workes, is explained. / Delivered in 18 sermons upon three severall texts, by the late faithfull and worthy minister of Iesus Christ, Iohn Preston, Dr. in Divinity, chaplaine in ordinary to his Maiesty, Master of Emmanuel Colledge in Cambridge, and sometimes preacher of Lincolnes Inne.
London: printed by W. Jones for Nicolas Bourne, 1630London: printed by W. Iones for Nicolas Bourne, 1630
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Thirdly,3 it may be GOD doth it not because there is a defect in thy prayer, he will have thee pray more fervently, that condition is put in,2 Jam. 5. The prayer of the righteous availeth much, if it be fervent. Indeed GOD might bestow blessings upon us for the mere asking, if we did but make our requests known; yet he is pleased to require that condition that our prayers be fervent, and he defers the giving of the blessing until we be quickened: and therefore he defers oft-times, to enhance, and to cause us to prize his blessings, (lightly come, lightly gone, as we use to say.) Things that come easily, we willingly part with, but GOD will have us prize them high: and therefore we must beg them earnestly, he holds them ⟨p. 200⟩back to affect our appetites, to make us contend with him in prayer; or else why did he defer to grant the Woman of Canaan's request, why did he defer to give Jacob deliverance from his brother Esau? if he had done it in the beginning, Jacob had not so wrestled, he had not done that excellent duty of prayer all night. When Hannah comes to ask a son of the Lord, he hath given to many with less ado, but he would not grant it her till her spirit was troubled, till she prayed earnestly with contention and violence, that Ely thought she was drunk: No, said she, but I am a woman troubled in spirit: they must be earnest, those prayers that God will have at thy hands; and if thou be not heard, go and mend thy prayers that thou mayest mend thy speeding; quicken thy prayers, as thou labourest to make thy heart more righteous, that thou mayest be fit. The prayers of the righteous prevail much, if they be fervent: so pray more fervently.
Thirdly,3 it may be GOD doth it not because there is a defect in thy prayer, hee will haue thee pray more feruently, that condition is put in,2 Iam. 5. The prayer of the righteous auaileth much, if it be feruent. Indeede GOD might bestow blessings vpon vs for the meere asking, if we did but make our requests knowne; yet he is pleased to require that condition that our prayers be feruent, and he defers the giuing of the blessing vntill we be quickned: and therfore he defers oft-times, to inhance, and to cause vs to prize his blessings, (lightly come, lightly gone, as we vse to say.) Things that come easily, we willingly part with, but GOD will haue vs prize them high: and therefore we must begge them earnestly, he holds them